GCSE Photography

GCSE Photography
Guide

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GCSE Photography

Mark Scheme and Checklist

AO1 Contextual Investigated the work of artists as well as

other sources ad used my research to
Understanding develop my ideas.
Develop ideas
showing Documented by research in my sketchbook.
understanding of Developed my ideas producing lots of artwork
sources. based on sources that are relevant to my
theme.

AO2 Creative Explored and refined my ideas throughout my

project.
Making
Experiment with Experimented with a variety of materials and
materials, processes to progress my work.
techniques, ideas Skilfully and safely handled materials to
and processes. create quality outcomes.

Reviewed my work to improve the quality.

AO3 Reflective Used 1st hand observation instead of copying

from internet/books as part of my research.
Recording
Draw, paint, write Demonstrated that my research is relevant to
your observations my project.
relevant to your Organised and clearly displayed my research,
project. and annotated my book with my thoughts.

AO4 Personal Produced my own imaginative outcome(s).

Presentation Shown how I have got to my final outcome.
Creative an
effective outcome Made clear how artists are connected to my
idea so that it is meaningful.
that shows skill
and connections Thought carefully about the final selection,
to artists. method and presentation for my outcome.

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 GCSE Photography

1) Create a Mind Map of ideas on a theme. You should be able to fill a

page with as many ideas as possible – do not settle for one idea. It
should show relationships, groupings and connections between sources,
words, ideas and images. It helps you think clearly and gives you lots of
choice.

2) Photographers - Visual Analysis

Use Pinterest for ideas (my boards are available at stevehughes23 when you
search for People)

Choose a minimum of 2 photographers and take your own

photos copying the technique. The aim is to understand the

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 GCSE Photography

process of their work and by working in the same way. Choose

how and where you take your photo(s) carefully.
Photographers - Written Analysis
1. Find and print at least 4 other pictures from your
photographers. Don’t forget to label them with
title/date/photography technique if you are able.
2. Answer the following questions about your photographers.
Make sure your writing is clear and easy to read – it must
be in your own words.

Investigate Explain key features Discuss

About the Subject matter Opinion
photographer Person/animal/building/nature?  What do you like
 What do they do? about the work and
 Where are they Composition why?
from? Cropped/leading
 What inspires lines/symmetry/asymmetry/rule
them? of thirds/spirals/reflections
 What do they want
you to learn?
About the photos Material/Technique What can I learn?
 What art movement Unrealistic/realistic/simplified/  What can you learn
are they part of? Textured/distorted/patterns/ from this work?
 What did their Layered/colourful/geometric  What has the
group show in their shapes/dark/light areas photographer done
pictures? that inspires you?
 How is their Ideas/Issues
photography made? What ideas or issues are
 Any more explored in this work, e.g.
interesting facts you natural world, inequality,
can find out? environment, social issues,
mental health.

Example photographers: Annie Liebovitz, Gregory Crewdson, Richard

Avedon, Elliott Erwitt, Vivian Maier, Ansel Adams, Robert Frank, Gary
Winogrand, Dorothea Lange, Elizabeth Messina, Chrisman Studios,
Larry Beard, Peter Lik, Henri Cartier Bresson, Philippe Halsman,
Brassai, Man Ray, Weegee, Mary Ellen Mark

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 GCSE Photography

PEE Paragraphs in Artist Research

Use these examples to help you write up your research in a clear and easy to read way.

In this photo, Ozaslan

explores the idea of
contrast in a variety of
ways.

Firstly, there is the contrast

of black and white verses
colour, but also the
contrast of manmade
verses nature.

These contrasts help guide

my view of it and make me
look twice at replacement
of the silhouetted girl. The
name of the piece gives
the impression that the gap
‘Sadness’, Photograph
is actually about a missing
Merve Ozaslan
person who may even be
dead.

Brassai uses a number if

techniques to show the
mood and atmosphere of
the night.

In this piece he uses the

dim lights from the
lampposts to create a hazy
light that silhouettes the
man.

I think me wants us to ask

questions about what the
No name, Photograph man is doing and why he is
Brassai out so late. It makes me
feels a bit worried for him
as you don’t know who is
round the corner.

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 GCSE Photography

Visual Language Vocabulary uses the formal elements to convey the message,
mood or feeling to the audience.

Line 1. Vertical lines suggest strength, perhaps growth.

2. Horizontal lines suggest calm and rest.
3. Curves convey smoothness.
4. Diagonals convey dynamic movement.
5. Zigzags convey feelings of agitation.
Shape 1. Squares and rectangles suggest stability.
2. Circles and curved shapes - movement and continuity.
3. Triangles - lead the eye upwards.
4. Inverted triangles - a sense of imbalance and tension.
5. Shape as decoration.
1. Tone with dramatic contrast.
Tone 2. Tones suggesting different qualities of light.
3. Tones creating patterns of positive and negative shapes.
4. Monochrome.
5. Low Key.
6. High Key.
7. Tone used to suggest distance and perspective.
Pattern 1. Patterns of lines (man-made and organic)
2. Patterns of shapes (man-made and organic)
3. Patterns of form (man-made and organic)
4. Patterns of colours (man-made and organic)
5. Regular pattern.
6. Irregular pattern.
7. Pattern as texture.
8. Symmetry and asymmetry
1. Images dominated by primary colour.
Colour 2. Images dominated by secondary colour.
3. Images in a warm colour key.
4. Images in a cool colour key.
5. Images completed with a limited palette.
6. Harmonious or adjacent colours on the colour circle.
7. Opposite or complementary colours. Red/Green. Yellow/Purple.
Orange/Blue.
1. Intentional texture.
Texture 2. Unintentional texture.
3. Texture as structure.
4. Texture as decoration.

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 GCSE Photography

Ideas for Photoshoots

G o f o r a w a l k - t a k e 3 0 p h o t o s w i t h o u t a n y i n t e n t i o n o f t r yi n g t o f i n d
s o m e t h i n g. Y o u ' l l b e a m a z e d w i t h w h a t yo u n o t i c e . P r i n t p h o t o s - i t 's
a m a z i n g h o w m a n y p h o t o s w e t a k e b u t d o n 't p r i n t . P r i n t t h e m o n n i c e p h o t o
paper at a shop and display them in a book. Visit a gallery - get inspired
b y s e e i n g h o w t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l s d o i t . Lo o k a t t h e G a l l e r i e s p a g e o n t h i s
site. Break the Rules - learn what the basic rules of photography are and
take photos that go against them. Total Blur - use either the manual focus
o n yo u r c a m e r a o r P h o t o s h o p t o b l u r yo u r i m a g e . H o w f a r c a n yo u go
b e f o r e yo u c a n 't s e e i t ? L o w K e y p h o t o s - t a k e p h o t o s w i t h m i n i m u m l i gh t .
Y o u 'l l n e e d t o e x p e r i m e n t w i t h yo u r c a m e r a t o a c h i e v e t h i s b u t i t 's
dramatic. Negative area - this are large areas with nothing in them. Take
photos with something in the corner and a big empty space. Takes photos
o n t h e m e s - e . g. Li n e s , C o l o u r s , S h a p e s , P e o p l e , S ym m e t r y, P e r s p e c t i v e ,
Lo o k i n g U p , Lo o k i n g D o w n , R e f l e c t i o n s D o u b l e E x p o s u r e / D i s p e r s i o n -
l o o k t h e m u p o n t h e i n t e r n e t - t h e r e 's l o a d s o f e x a m p l e s / t u t o r i a l s . N i g h t
s h o t s - u s e yo u r a u t o m a t i c m o d e o r m a n u a l ( i f yo u ' r e t h a t g o o d ! ) t o t a k e
photos at night with key lighting. Action! - capture action packed images
o f m o v e m e n t . T h i s c a n b e a n yt h i n g f r o m a s p o r t s m a t c h , t o c a r s d r i v i n g o r
s o m e o n e t h r o w i n g s o m e t h i n g. C h a n g e d P e r s p e c t i v e - s h o o t f r o m l o w ,
s h o o t f r o m h i g h , t u r n t h e c a m e r a s i d e w a ys - a n yt h i n g t o c h a n g e t h e v i e w .
S h a d o w s - t a k e p i c s o f s h a d o w s c a s t f r o m s t r o n g l i gh t s o u r c e s a c r o s s
s u r f a c e s . T e x t u r e - F i n d a n d p h o t o gr a p h a s m a n y t e x t u r e s ( e . g. r o u g h ,
s o f t , f l u f f y, s h a r p , s m o o t h ) a s yo u c a n f i n d . P r o p s - c o n v e y s o m e o n e 's
character by photography t hem with objects that say something about them.
Wrapped - cover someone in a sheet and capture them moving inside of it
and creating shapes.

Reviewing your work

Use the headings and questions below to help you critically review your work as you
go along:

1. Introduce – what were you trying to achieve or do? “In this piece I wanted to
explore the black and white landscape technique of Anselm Adams in combination
with the moody street lighting of Brassai.”
2. Success – How successful were you in achieving this? “I am really pleased with
my black and white scene and how this makes the light seem to reflect and glow from
the windows on to the street in the dark.”
3. Limitations – What stops the work from being a graded 9? Be honest.
“Unfortunately, I struggled with controlling the lightness of the pictures because I
didn’t understand the techqniue of night photography, which has resulted in there
being less detail than I would have liked in the buildings.”
4. What’s next? What are going to do about your limitations in the next few pages
or towards your final outcome? “To improve these I am going to look at how
photographers take these photos on YouTube videos and then experiment with what
I learn until it works.”

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 GCSE Photography

My Intentions

Briefly explain what you set out to do, so whoever marks your work will understand
your intentions, which may also change as you go along.

1. What is the main idea you want to explore for your theme?

2. Now you have looked at your photographers and their techniques, how
have you changed your ideas? What do you plan to do next? How do your
ideas explore your theme and make use of photographers?

3. After experimenting with your photographer’s styles, what do you want to

work on and develop to improve your idea and the quality of your work?

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